Vertically adjustable sweat bands for helmets



H. W. AUSTIN Dec. 20, 1960 VERTICAL-LY ADJUSTABLE SWEAT BANDS FOR HELMETS Filed Dec. 24, 1958 INVENTOR.

HAARX h A 0577 160.5 461! Ok/76y5 United States Patent O VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE SWEAT BANDS FOR HELMETS Filed Dec. 24, 1958, Ser. No. 782,698

3 Claims. (Cl. 2-3) This invention relates to suspensions for protective helmet shells, and more particularly to those provided with vertically adjustable sweat bands.

Whether or not a protective helmet shell suspension is adjustable to accommodate heads of different crown heights, the sweat band may ride too high on the head of a person with a high crown and too low around the head of a person with a low crown. It is therefore among the objects of this invention to provide a hat suspension, in which the sweat band can be adjusted vertically in the lower part of the head cradle, and in which positive means are provided for holding the sweat band at any desired level.

In accordance with this invention, a head-receiving cradle has head-engaging straps, the lower ends of which are attached to a helmet shell to support the shell. Fastened to the lower ends of the cradle strap are the lower ends of tabs that extend upwardly inside the cradle. The outer side of each tab is provided with a plurality of vertically spaced projections. Adjacent the inner side of each tab is a headband-supporting member provided with a loop that extends snugly around the tab between a pair of its projections. Preferably, the projections extend horizontally across a tab and have lower loop-engaging surfaces connected by inclined surfaces to the portions of the tab above them. The projections therefore positively hold the headband against movement upward in the suspension. However, such upward movement can be effected when desired, by manually pressing the projections through the loops of the headband-supporting members.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a bottom or inside view of a helmet equipped with my suspension;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section taken on the line IIII of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the outside of the headband, showing one of the tabs and the headband-supporting member connected to it.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the rigid shell of a protective hat or helmet has a dome-shaped crown 1 surrounded at its bottom by an integral brim 2. Inside of the shell there is a suspension, by which the shell is supported and held in position on the head of a wearer. The suspension includes a head-receiving cradle formed from straps 3 of any suitable material, which extend across the top of the head or are connected at the top by a lace 4. The lower ends of the straps may be fastened in any suitable manner to the lower part of the shell in order to support it. For example, a snap fastener or rivet 5 can be used for that purpose.

Disposed inside the lower portion of the cradle is a headband, generally consisting of a backing band 6 and a sweat band 7 joined together at their lower edges in any suitable manner. As shown in Fig. 3, the backing band is provided at opposite edges of each cradle strap with two pairs of vertical slits to form a pair of vertical loops 8, which receive the opposite ends of a headband 2,964,754 Patented neazo, 1960 "ice supporting member 9. This member is strong and relatively stilf, being made most suitably from a synthetic plastic. The central portion of the supporting member extends upwardly and is provided with a pair of horizontal slots 10 to form a horizontal loop 11 between them. This loop extends snugly around an adjoining tab 12, the lower end of which is secured to the lower end of a cradle strap, such as by the same fastening member 5 that connects the strap to the shell. The upper end of the tab is free. The tab is rather stiff, without being rigid, and may be made of a synthetic plastic or other suitable material. The headband can be adjusted vertically in the head cradle by sliding the loops 11 of the supporting members up and down the tabs.

In order to hold the headband in any one of several different vertically spaced positions, the outer side of each tab is provided with a plurality of vertically spaced projections 13, between which a loop 11 extends. Since the loop fits snugly around the tab, it is necessary for the tab to be pressed or bent manually inward into the slots 10 in the supporting member in order to allow the loop to pass over a projection. It is preferred to make each projection 13 like a saw tooth in vertical section, with a lower surface that engages the upper edge of a loop 11 to positively prevent the loop from moving upward on the tab unless the tab is manually deformed as just described. However, the inclined upper surface of each tooth permits the loop to be moved downward over the teeth by merely pulling down on the supporting member 9 with the same degree of force. The teeth prevent the headband from moving upwardly in the shell, while friction between the loops and the tabs prevents downward movement, especially since there is nothing to cause the headband to move down in the helmet when it is on the head. With this construction, the headband can be adjusted to the proper height for the head on which the helmet is being worn. Of course, the circumference of the headband can be adjusted in any well known manner if desired.

To eliminate any possibility of the headband. accidentally separating from the tabs 12, the upper corners of the tabs may be provided with integral ears 14 projecting laterally, so that the width of the top of each tab is greater than the length of the adjoining loop 11. With such a construction, it is desirable to provide the upper end of the tab with a notch 15 to permit the ears to be squeezed toward each other far enough to allow the tab to be inserted through the loop.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. A helmet shell suspension comprising a head-receiving cradle having head-engaging straps with lower ends adapted to be attached to a helmet shell to support the shell, tabs having lower ends fastened to the lower ends of the cradle straps and extending therefrom inside the cradle, the outer side of each tab being provided with a plurality of vertically spaced projections, and a headband-supporting member adjacent the inner side of each tab and provided with a pair of vertically spaced transverse slots forming between them a loop extending snugly around the tab between a pair of its said projections, the height of each slot being substantially equal to the thickness of a tab at one of its projections, said tabs being bendable transversely to allow said prtjections to be pushed through said slots so that said loops can be adjusted up and down the tabs to permit a headband to be adjusted vertically in the cradle.

2. A helmet shell suspension accordingv to claim 1,

in which said projections extend substantially horizontally and have lower loop-engaging surfaces connected by inclined surfaces to the tab portions above them.

3. A helmet shell suspension comprising a head-re- 5 ceiving cradle having head-engaging straps with lower ends adapted to be attached to a helmet shell to support the shell, relatively stiff tabs having lower ends fastened to the lower ends of the cradle straps and extending upwardly therefrom inside the cradle, the outer side of 10 tween them a loop extending snugly around the tab be- 15 tween a pair of its said projections, the height of each slot being substantially equal to the thickness of a tab at one of its projections, said tabs being bendable transversely to allow said projections to be pushed'through said slots so that said loops can be adjusted up and down the tabs to permit'a headband to be adjusted vertically in the cradle, the upper ends of the tabs having ears projecting laterally, above the ends of the loops, and each tab having a deep notch in its upper end to permit said ears to be pinched toward each other so that the upper end of the tab can be inserted through a supporting member loop during assembly of the suspension.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,398,561 Ruggiero Apr. 16, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTION Patent N0. 2364,75; December 20-, 1960 Harry W. Austin It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 2, line 6O after "extending! insert upwardly Signed and sealed this 9th day of May 1961.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER DAVID L, LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

